Card attachment for mailing-receptacles.



A. R. BINGHAM. CARD ATTACHMENT FOR MAILING BBOEPTAOLES; AIPLIOATION FILED JULY 28, 1908.

948,202 Patenteol Feb, 1, 1910.

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ANDREW. s cm ALLEN R. BINGHAM, OF FAIRHAVEN, MASSACHUSETTSi CARD ATTACHMENT FOR MAILING-RECEPTACLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN R. BINGHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fairhaven, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Card Attachment for Mailing Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mailing boxes or receptacles and more particularly to means for retaining a return card in position on the top of the receptacle.

The object of the invention is to provide a mailing box or receptacle having spaced loops or keepers secured to the cover thereof for the reception of a card or tag, said card having on one side thereof the name and address of the addressee and on its opposite side the name and address of the sender so that by reversing the card the box may be remailed to the sender.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efliciency as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understoodthat various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mailing box or receptacle constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the card or tag in position on the cover thereof. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same showing the tag or card reversed. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a relatively wide card supported between the retaining loops or keepers.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The improved attachment forming the subject matter of the present invention is shown applied to a mailing box or receptacle of the ordinary construction in which 5 designates the body of the box and 6 the lid or cover. The loops or keepers 7 are each preferably stamped or otherwise formed from a single piece of fiat metal, the opposite ends of which are sharpened to produce terminal spurs 8 adapted to be driven Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. July 28, 1908.

Patented Feb. 1., 1910. Serial No. 445,787.

through the top of the cover 6 and clenched or otherwise fastened to the lower surface thereof. The loops or keepers 7 are provided with oppositely disposed off set portions 9 defining an intermediate pocket 10 for the reception of a return card 11, the latter being retained in position on the cover 6 by frictional engagement with the walls of the loops or keepers 7. One side of the card 11 bears the name and address of the addressee, while the opposite side of the card bears the name and address of the sender so that by removing the card from the keepers and reversing the same the box may be remailed to the sender.

Attention is called to the fact that the metal between the off sets 9 and the adjacent spurs 8 is bent downwardly in contact with the upper surface of the box to form oppositely disposed clamping members 12 for engagement with a card, when the latter is formed of relatively thin material, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. It will thus be seen that the pocket 10 will accommodate a card of relatively thick material such as card board, while the clamping members 12 permit the employment of a mailing card formed of relatively thin material such as paper and the like.

Attention is here called to the fact that by providing the loops 7 with offset portions, the latter not only form clamping members 12 but also allow a limited expansion of metal between said off set portions when introducing cards of difierent thicknesses, thereby to prevent the terminals 8 of the loops from pulling out and cutting or otherwise injuring the cover.

It will of course be understood that the loops may be made in different sizes and shapes and one or more of said loops employed for retaining the card in position on the box.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that there is provided an extremely simple, inexpensive and eflicient device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

A mailing receptacle having spaced resilient strips secured thereto and each provided at its opposite ends with a single terminal spur adapted to pierce the walls of the receptacle, said resilient strips having their intermediate portions spaced from the exterior face of the receptacle to form intermediate pockets for the reception of a return card and their opposite ends provided with contacting portions disposed in contact with the adjacent face of the receptacle to form clamping members, the strips between the contacting portions being disposed parallel with the adjacent face of the receptacle,

and the intermediate portions of the resili-- ent strips being flat and adapted to normally and yieldably engage the card throughout its entire Width and clamp the latter against the adjacent face of the receptacle, the terminals of said spurs being bent inwardly against the interior face of the receptacle and beneath the contacting portions of the resilient strips.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- ALLEN R. BINGHAM.

Witnesses:

GEORGE N. GARDINER, GRACE B. WORDELL. 

